Former Mets outfielder Angel Pagan returns to Citi Field as a Giant

Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIREGiants outfielder Angel Pagan hit a solo home run in the third inning of his return to Citi Field last night.

NEW YORK — As he sat in the mostly empty visiting clubhouse, ready to address his return to Citi Field, Angel Pagan heard the playful taunt of a Giants teammate and turned his head.

“Angel, ever play here before?” San Francisco reliever Clay Hensley shouted.
Pagan chuckled. The former Mets center fielder was making his return against his former team, and though it was much more inconspicuous than that of Jose Reyes, the ex-Met returning next week as a Miami Marlin, Pagan was still happy to be back.

And he came back with a bang, hitting his first home run of the season, a shot to left-center field in the third inning last night.

That he left in the first place was somewhat unexpected.

“It was kind of a shock,” Pagan said. “It got me by surprise. But I was to be a part of this organization, that won a championship. They’re committed to repeat (their 2010 championship) and win. I was happy. At the same time, I thank the Mets organization for giving me a great opportunity to be here.”

Pagan spent four seasons in Flushing, arriving in a 2008 trade from the Chicago Cubs — although he was originally drafted by the Mets in the fourth round in the 1999 draft. He had an uneven time with the club, posting two solid seasons in 2009 and 2010.
Yet, 2011 was a struggle. Pagan batted .262, his average falling 28 points from the previous season, his OPS dipped to .694, and his errors doubled to a major-league leading 10 among center fielders as he adjusted to becoming the full-time center fielder in place of Carlos Beltran.

After the season ended, as he returned to his native Puerto Rico, he wasn’t sure he would be a Met this year.

“Yeah, I was kind of wondering because I had the year I had,” Pagan said. “I was kind of wondering what was going to happen. At the same time, I was going to work hard in the offseason and be where I wanted to be anywhere I was going to be.”

Those feelings did not extend into the regular season but Pagan was instead bothered by injury. In April of last season, he landed on the disabled list due to a strained left oblique, missing 30 games. He missed 39 games in total.

“I don’t know how much it affected, but all I can tell you is that if I was banged up or anything, I just went out there and played hard every day, try to leave it all on the field,” he said. “Unfortunately, there were a lot of ups and downs for me last season, but I gave it my all.”

So when the season ended, as he finished his final game 0-for-3, he didn’t know what lay ahead.

“I was really concerned because I wanted to see which way the team was going,” Pagan said. “But I did it after the season was over.”

Pagan was traded on Dec. 6 for Giants reliever Ramon Ramirez and Pagan’s replacement, Andres Torres. Ramirez has struggled so far this season, to the tune of a 7.11 ERA entering last night, while Torres has only played one game because of a strained left calf that landed him on the DL. Pagan was hitting .220 but with three triples and two doubles. He hit his first home run of the season in the third inning last night.
He is happy as a Giant, with no hard feelings.

“I see it that way, as a business,” Pagan said. “I guess they were trying to fill some holes, go in a different direction. They’re trying to build a bullpen. This guy gave them one of the best bullpen guys they had and gave them their center fielder, so I think it’s a good deal for them. It seems like it’s working out good for them.”